Secret Santa hands out $100 bills

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Santa arrived early in the St. Louis area -- as a woman passing out $100 bills.

The region's "Secret Santa" spent Monday handing out money to random needy, taking a page from the kindness begun on the other side of the state years ago.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that "Secret Santa" was carrying several $100 bills as she was escorted by police and firefighters. She passed out thousands of dollars.

The Secret Santa tradition began more than a quarter of a century ago in Kansas City, Mo., where over the years, Larry Stewart gave out $1.3 million of his own money. Before he died in 2007, he recruited a replacement, and the tradition has spread to at least 25 cities.